The US government recently announced that it has had success developing a robotic arm replacement that actually allows the wearer to feel things, reminiscent of something from science fiction. In summer 2015 the agency responsible confirmed it had made significant progress producing a prosthetic limb that could have its movement controlled by a human brain, but just months later the same developers were able to implement the ability to actually feel through the device. We have been making progress with prosthetic limbs for decades but this is a very major development.

The DARPA Prosthetic Hand (Image courtesy of DARPA)

The motor cortex is the portion of the brain that regulates muscle movement, and this is linked through the sensory cortex that transmits feelings back to the brain when things are touched and felt. The wiring of the robotic arm connects all these sections and allows for the desired movement and sensations. This was tested on a blindfolded subject to ensure the results were real, and the user was able to identify different touch sensations without vision which proved the effectiveness of the device. Continue Reading

Many people want to look into cosmetic surgery because they are unhappy with their appearance for whatever reason. However, a lot of these people are commonly put off the whole idea of surgery due to possible problems and complications associated with. Having surgical procedures done can be costly, inconvenient and even dangerous, especially if you have any other underlying problems. You can find more information from the NHS about what’s involved with cosmetic surgery.

There are many benefits to be had from simple cosmetic procedures however, since many people experience a range of problems caused by issues with the appearance of their skin or facial features, most commonly lack of confidence and even depression.

One option you might want to choose is dermal filler treatments. A benefit to cosmetic fillers is that they are more reasonably priced than private surgery, making it easy to choose an option that suits you. If you’re looking for expert clinics in London, you might find that these options are more expensive. However, across the UK there are still very high standards for different clinics, so if you look for non-surgical facelifts in Manchester for example, you will find companies like Diane Nivern Skincare Clinic who can talk you through your options. Continue Reading

There is an increase in the number of elderly people in the United Kingdom. This means that there is a need for the government to come up with ways to ensure that this increasing population is well catered for in terms of health. However, there seems to be a problem somewhere because according to experts there is a high number of an elderly person who cannot access high quality elderly health care. It is estimated that almost one million elderly people cannot access good health care as a result of the withdrawal of social care that is funded by the government.

According to a leading charity organization Age UK, almost nine hundred thousand people in England with ages between 65 and 89 have social care needs that are unmet. However, officials in the organization belief that this number might be almost one million by now. Despite that the issue of social care among the elderly was a hot topic during the election campaigns; the issue has become unpopular among the leaders. According to Carol Abrahams who is the chief executive Age UK, this might be the case most of the politicians are too young to focus on such an issue. Continue Reading

Cancer is one of the diseases that every person fears in modern times. Cancer has become the biggest killer not only in the United Kingdom, but also in the entire world. The idea of a mutation spreading in the entire body is something that many people would not want to think about. The most worrying this is that there is no guaranteed way of preventing it from occurring. This is a disease that can strike at any time without any warning symptoms.

When you get cancer, it means that the DNA of a cell has mutated and it means that if it splits through mitosis to develop a new cell, the damaged DNA will be copied into the new cell making it to spread over time until the entire areas become cancerous or there is formation of tumours. All the cancers are not the same because there are some that are more dangerous than others. Here are some of the top killer cancers.

Lung cancer

Studies have shown that lung cancer account to 28.3 percent of all cancers reported deaths in the United Kingdom. Globally this type of cancer is responsible for almost one and a half million deaths in a year. It is characterised by growth of cell in the lung tissues and all the nearby tissues. Common treatments of this cancer include radiotherapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy that aim to remove the cancerous cells or control their proliferation. The primary cause of this problem in the UK is smoking which accounts for almost 15 percent of all the lung cancer cases. Other causes include exposure to radon gas, pollution and asbestos. Continue Reading

The issue of mental health care has become a major concern because of the high number of people suffering from these problems in the United Kingdom. This is not only a problem in the United Kingdom, but also in many other countries in the world. Some of the major mental health problems facing many people in the UK include depression and stress. This article provides an overview based on data available to make assessment of the level of quality of health care services for people suffering from mental health care problems in the United Kingdom. The assessment looks at three different groups including adults suffering from common mental health problems, those with enduring and severe mental health problems and children and young people.

This is one of the many overviews that focus on key areas of quality in term of waiting times, safety, mental health, person centred care and other internationals comparisons.

Thread veins refers to small blood vessels that run close to the skin. They appear like fine red or in some cases they look like purple wiggly lines. In most cases they tend to develop as a person ages because of the reduced elasticity of the blood vessels and the skin. Studies have also shown that hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy or menopause can lead to their development. With the development of technology and techniques in the medical field, there are many ways that thread veins can be removed. Here are some of the thread vein removal methods.

Laser surgery

Laser surgery is a method to remove thread veins that has gained popularity in the modern days. There has been an increase in the number of facilities that provide perform this procedure to patients in the United Kingdom. Thread vein removal works by sending powerful bursts of light into the vein that makes the threads vein to fade slowly by slowly and disappear. During this procedure, no needles or incisions are used. This method is not as effective as sclerotherapy, especially if you have larger thread veins. Some of the side effects experienced include swelling, itching, redness, bruising and change of skin tones. The thread veins will be completely removed after a few months.

The best way to prevent all types of diseases is to put the right control mechanisms to stop the infections. The NHS has been at the forefront in the fight to try to control different infections by applying different control methods. One of the key priorities of the NHS is to protect the people from the risk of infections caused by different factors. The efforts by the National Health Service have been one of factors that have contributed to reduction of major infections in the country. It has staff who are highly qualified, dedicated and committed to their work in prevention of infections among people of different ages in the population.

The infection control team works closely with other stakeholders in the health sectors to reduce the infections among the population. All the staff involved in this initiative undergo regular training on the prevention and control of the infections. The organization disseminates information to the public one the various infection control methods they can apply in their day to day life in order to compliment the methods by the organisation itself. Here are some of the infection control methods used in the NHS.

Patient hygiene

Illness breaks down the immune system making patients more susceptible to serious infection. As well as ensuring the environment is clean and that healthcare professionals are taking adequate steps to avoid transferring germs between patients, hospitals also provide cleansing products that help to safeguard against serious infections such as MRSA. Chlorhexidine bathing products are particularly effective in a healthcare environment as they are particularly effective against Gram-positive bacteria.

Men in the United Kingdom are paying the price of ignoring their health. It is estimated that more than one hundred thousand men in the United Kingdom die prematurely. One average, men have low rate of attending for medical check-ups compared to women in the United Kingdom. It is vital to be aware on the changes that occur to your health and regular medical check-ups to recognise when there is something that is not right. This article presents some of the men’s health care issues and symptoms that should not be ignored.

Lump on the testicle

Testicular cancer is one of the common cancers that affect men aged twenty to thirty five years. It is estimated that almost two thousand men are diagnosed with this type of cancer each year in the United Kingdom. In case you recognise an abnormality or lump in your testicles it is good to seek medical care fast. It is good to note that most of the testicular lumps do not represent symptoms of cancer, but it is good to have any abnormalities checked. This is necessary because the treatment for testicular cancer is more successful where the cancer is diagnosed early. Continue Reading